Posted on Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 10:23 a.m.
Ypsilanti police Taser large pit bull running loose on North Huron Street
By Amalie Nash
Ypsilanti police officers Tasered a large pit bull running loose on North Huron Street Friday after the dog lunged at a pedestrian, reports said.
But after the dog was shocked with the Taser, it ran off and couldn't be found, police said.
The dog was in the 500 block of North Huron Street at about 8:55 p.m. According to reports, the dog was running at pedestrians.
Officers were able to corner the dog when it lunged at a woman walking by, reports said. That's when it was Tasered and then disappeared.
If the dog and owner are located, the owner could be cited for having a loose dog, police said.
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Comments
John Spieser
Sat, Sep 18, 2010 : 1:19 p.m.
I would like to know what you are all talking about when you say "pitbull". I guarantee that the dog who was tased was not a pitbull because there is no such breed. So what was it? A Bull terrier? Staffordshire terrier? Boxer? Bulldog? Rottweiller? Bull Mastiff? French Mastiff? Rhodesian ridgeback? I have seen all of these dogs incorrectly reffered to as "pitbulls". There are lots of "bully" breed mixes out there with poor owners donning the pitbull label. The Staffordshire terrier is being grossly misrepresented in this miss mash of pitbullmania! I think people should stop picking the dogs apart and accept that the responsibilty for sound breeding and rearing well balanced dogs is ours to shoulder.
Ricebrnr
Wed, Sep 15, 2010 : 9:24 a.m.
I find it amusing that some of the commentors here who advocate for pit bulls and personal responsibility, that cry out over the media hyping and reporting, have many of the same problems and arguments as we in the gun culture. Yet are very much against guns...interesting.
treetowncartel
Tue, Sep 14, 2010 : 8:36 p.m.
There are no bad dogs, just bad owners. Know your dogs limitations and adapt!
breadman
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 8:15 p.m.
A dog is like a child, you teach, train them to be what you want then to be. I have a Red nose pit and she is the most loving dog you can get. She has been fixed and mellowed right out. Was not trained to be a fighter a lover.... My puppy is two half years old... She will lay down by my Grandson as he naps. But get them as puppies. I have had this one since she was three days old and bottle fed her. And yes you can take a puppy that soon from a mother. As long as they nurse the firse 72 hrs from the mother. Train them good dogs.........
jcj
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 7:42 p.m.
@diagbum My point was more that pit bulls don't usually bite once and go on. They are more prone to keep up the attack until major damage is done. I appreciate the offer to meet your dog but I have no desire to befriend any dog. And that brings me to another point more towards dog owners than dogs. It seems every dog owner I encounter out walking their dog assumes I want to pet it after it has smelled and licked everything under the sun. Yet not very many of them would want to stop to say hello to my 2 year old granddaughter with a booger on her face.
diagbum
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 6:35 p.m.
Of course a Pit Bull can do more damage than a Dachshund when it bites, it is a larger breed of dog. A German Shepard, Rottweiler, and Doberman do more physical damage than small breeds as well, but you don't see the media riling the public when those breeds bite. I still maintain that any dog of any breed can be aggressive if it is not trained properly. It is the responsibility of animal owners to make sure their animals are under control and not a danger to the general public or other animals. @jcj: It's unfortunate that you have had negative interactions with Pit Bulls in the past, if you'd like to meet a well behaved and lovable member of this breed, my dog would love to be an ambassador. You can meet him at the Swift Run dog park at Ellsworth and Platt any weeknight evening you prefer after 5pm.
jcj
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 5:10 p.m.
@diagbum What you gave was excuses for why dogs bite! What Nephilim gave was stats on dog bites. I am not interested in excuses. I am interested in what breed does the most damage when it comes to dog bites. While a major inconvenience when a dachshund bites, When a pit bull bites it is more than an inconvenience!
Nephilim
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 5:04 p.m.
I even owned a pit bull and still feel they are a dangerous breed of animals. I had a female that I took as a puppy from people that didn't deserve it. I had her for 15 years until she died. It was one of the best dogs i ever had but with that said there were cautions that must be spoken. They are a very very over protective breed of animal. They will defend their family to the point of dangerousness. They also have some innate desire to fight other dogs. This quality was never rewarded or encouraged in her yet if she was in the vehicle and you pulled up next to another vehicle with a dog in it, she looked like the Tasmanian devil cartoon. Outside of these two personality issues she was the most loving and loyal animal ever. The biggest problem with this breed outside of what I aforementioned is not the dog itself but the character of the majority of the people who desire these dogs. If you object to this last statement, just watch animal planet when they show the dog cop shows. The breed and the environment is a recipe for disaster.
lisam
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 5 p.m.
Everyone seems to be publishing articles to read, websites to go to etc. You can anything and everything on the internet. Here's another one for ya. http://www.pitbulls.org/article/are-pit-bulls-dangerous
diagbum
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 4:48 p.m.
@jcj: dogbitelaw is a legal website run by lawyers, and did you even bother to read any of the factual data I provided?
jcj
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 4:33 p.m.
As far as using a taser.I find that unnecessary. I carry an axe handle when walking to fend off whatever needs fending. As MR T used to say I pity the fool!
jcj
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 4:27 p.m.
@diagbum You can spin all you want. The FACTS are just as Nephilim says! You can try to muddy the waters with mumbo jumbo but it does not change the facts!
diagbum
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 4:13 p.m.
Correcting the links in my previous comment: 1. http://www.dogsbite.org/pdf/1979-1998-breeds-dogs-involved-in-fatal-human-attacks-us.pdf 3. http://www.avma.org/public_health/dogbite/dogbite.pdf 4. http://www.aspca.org/fight-animal-cruelty/dog-fighting/breed-specific-legislation.html
diagbum
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 3:44 p.m.
The Centers for Disease Control study Breeds of dogs involved in fatal human attacks in the United States between 1979 and 1998 explains the inherent problems in attempting to calculate breed involvement in fatal attacks.1 The CDC further explained that a major flaw in the study was the inability to factor in total breed populations relative to breed-related fatalities. The CDC concluded that fatal attacks are so rare as to be statistically insignificant in addressing canine aggression. Additionally, dog attacks tend to be a result of several factors that are statistically more dangerous than a simple breakdown of breed culpability. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, these factors are: Breeding: Dogs that are bred to be aggressive will be aggressive regardless of the breed. Socialization: Puppies need socialization to learn how to live in human society. Training: Beyond socialization, puppies need training so they will at least obey basic commands. Health: Some dogs bite because they are uncomfortable or in pain.3 Spayed or Neutered: 97 percent of dogs involved in fatal dog attacks in 2006 were not sterilized.4 Tethering: One out of every four fatal dog attacks involves a chained dog.5 1 CDC. (2000) Breeds of dogs involved in fatal human attacks in the United States between 1979 and 1998. http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/duip/dogbreeds.pdf. 2 Delise, K. (2007). The Pit Bull Placebo: The Media, Myths and Politics of Canine Aggression. Anubis Publishing. 3 See generally, The American Veterinary Association, Dog Bite Prevention: A Community Approach. JAVMA, Vol. 218, No. 11, June 1, 2001. http://www.avma.org/public_health/dogbite/dogbite.pdf. 4 ASPCA, Are Breed Specific Laws Effective? http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=cruelty_dogfighting_breedspecific. 5 See supra, note 3. It's also worth noting that all five authors of the CDC report strongly oppose breed-specific laws: Sacks, Sinclair, Gilchrist, Golab and Lockwood.
Nephilim
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 2:54 p.m.
http://www.dogbitelaw.com/PAGES/statistics.html
Nephilim
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 2:53 p.m.
Ice cream, You are right. They get a bad rap. The deadliest dogs Merritt Clifton, editor of Animal People, has conducted an unusually detailed study of dog bites from 1982 to the present. (Clifton, Dog attack deaths and maimings, U.S. & Canada, September 1982 to November 13, 2006; click here to read it.) The Clifton study show the number of serious canine-inflicted injuries by breed. The author's observations about the breeds and generally how to deal with the dangerous dog problem are enlightening. According to the Clifton study, pit bulls, Rottweilers, Presa Canarios and their mixes are responsible for 74% of attacks that were included in the study, 68% of the attacks upon children, 82% of the attacks upon adults, 65% of the deaths, and 68% of the maimings. In more than two-thirds of the cases included in the study, the life-threatening or fatal attack was apparently the first known dangerous behavior by the animal in question. Clifton states: If almost any other dog has a bad moment, someone may get bitten, but will not be maimed for life or killed, and the actuarial risk is accordingly reasonable. If a pit bull terrier or a Rottweiler has a bad moment, often someone is maimed or killed--and that has now created off-the-chart actuarial risk, for which the dogs as well as their victims are paying the price. Clifton's opinions are as interesting as his statistics. For example, he says, "Pit bulls and Rottweilers are accordingly dogs who not only must be handled with special precautions, but also must be regulated with special requirements appropriate to the risk they may pose to the public and other animals, if they are to be kept at all."
lisam
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 2:34 p.m.
Hey Mickey Mouse. I used to feel same you do, but not anymore. Yes, I am devastated as the next person when someone is attacked....but that can happen with any dog. People need to educate themselves with this breed and those who own them need to be RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS. Period.
jcj
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 2:20 p.m.
@Ice Cream I do not need the media to influence me I have had personal experience! The disposition of most pit bulls has been well documented. But I agree that there are irresponsible owners. I have tried a couple time to tell what my experience is but apparently I was not nice enough for the moderator. I will have to start finishing with x's & o's
Ice Cream
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 12:55 p.m.
jcj - Thank you for providing the perfect example of how the media wrongfully influences people who do not know differently.
jcj
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 12:48 p.m.
Only the most dishonest or most naive would not admit that pit bulls need more regulations than other breeds in general. But to try to convince them is a waste of time. This story is one of a few that have been in the news lately concerning pit bulls. From my vantage point most owners of pit bulls are very insecure. And they think they need this breed so people will think they are tough! LOL!
Ice Cream
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 12:39 p.m.
How did the police officer or the reporter writing this story know this dog was a pit bull? Did they do DNA testing? I believe this is irresponsible sensationalism on the part of the police and media. Would this have made the news, or would the dog have been tasered, if say, the dog was a standard poodle (an example)? People who really know dogs and their temperments know that the pit bull can be the most gentle and obedient dog breed. I'm so disappointed that because of some irresponsible owners these dogs have a bad rap. I'm even more disappointed that the media feeds it.
diagbum
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 12:35 p.m.
"Why the heck didn't they shoot and kill it?" "Officers were able to corner the dog when it lunged at a woman walking by" Most likely because the officers had to be responsible for the citizens safety. Pit bulls get a bad rap in the media. In fact, ANY dog can be dangerous if raised by someone who doesn't understand a breed's unique nature, needs and what constitutes humane care.
Ricebrnr
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 10:52 a.m.
Oh ok, guns are ok to shoot in self defense against pit bulls but not against similarly rabid criminals? Logical.
tracyann
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 10:21 a.m.
Great. That probably just p*ssed the dog off and it's still running loose.
stevek
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 10:17 a.m.
Maybe the dog's relatives will say what a good dog he was. Maybe the dog is just a product of its environment. Maybe the dog's relatives will sue the police department. If the dog ran away, can he be charged with resisting arrest and failure to obey a police officer. Maybe the dog's mother and father should be incarcerated at the pound.
Mikey2u
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 10:15 a.m.
Why the heck didn't they shoot and kill it? Pit Bulls have got to go!
Nephilim
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 9:47 a.m.
What? No comments? I will start. Did the officer try everything else humanly possible to get the pit bull to comply? Was there a doggy rights violation inquiry by PETA into this? Is the officer on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation? Has there been any research into how many dogs have been killed as a result of being tasered? Was the dog profiled and immediately mistreated for being a pit bull?